Made a visit to the North Pole on my drive to Tok, Alaska from Fairbanks on July 29,2016! You do know I am best friend’s with Santa Claus, don’t you. The fog on the road heading for Tok was interesting to say the least.
Month: July 2016
Fairbanks, Alaska
I traveled to Fairbanks on July 28, 2016. After checking into the River’s Edge RV Park, I drove around town and spotted a dog stare down in my review mirror. The truck reminded me of the television series, “The Beverly Hillbillies.” The visitor’s center had some nice exhibits. Notice the pilot in the painting!
Each Day in Denali is Different
Let’s compare each of my consecutive visits into the park with a comparison of views of the mountain range. The first image was taken on July 25th. The second one was taken on July 26th. And the third one was taken on July 27th.
Healy, Alaska
The closest town to Denali National Park is Healy, Alaska. It is there that you can find the services you need (gasoline station, gift shops, places to eat)! These images were taken on the day of my arrival in the area, July 24th. You can order a Subway sandwich, etc. in the early morning to take with you on the shuttle bus into the park because the 66 mile drive to Eielson Visitor’s Center and return trip takes about eight hours! I love the pizza at Lynx Creek Pizza. There are a couple of lodges with nice restaurants also. I always stay at the Grizzly Bear RV Park about six miles south of Denali Park. You can only drive your personal vehicle about fourteen miles into the park. I took the picture of a bus at the point where a ranger comes on board and welcomes you into the rest of the park. The first 20 to 25 miles or so is your chance to see moose, as I did. The gravel bar below the road at the end of the first 14 miles is where I spotted the caribou. You should see many more deeper within the park. You should go to the visitor’s center to look at the park map and exhibits and also get your questions answered by a park ranger. Don’t forget to have some ice cream for that daily happiness.
Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska
I forgot to post these pictures from July 23rd while I was hanging out in Anchorage waiting for the rain to let up in Denali National Park! You are allowed to visit the Domestic Flights section of the airport and take pictures. Filled up the Honda Element with gasoline at $3.37 per gallon in Anchorage before leaving to visit Denali National Park. Used the car wash for both vehicles. We all look clean at the Golden Nugget RV Park.
Day Three in Denali
On Wednesday, July 27th, I visited the Denali National Park for the third day in a row. Each day in the park is quite different, as you can tell by the images I captured on each of the three days. The grizzlies were eating as many blueberries as they could. The first one showed me his teeth. Also saw caribou, moose, and that immensely beautiful mountain called “Denali.” It was another very good day! A great day to eat lunch and hang out longer than the usual thirty minutes a bus driver allows at the Eielson Visitor Center . You can stay as long as you like; especially if you took the early 6:00 AM bus. You just have to tell the dispatcher to assign you to another bus on the return trip when you are ready to leave. You can also ask to get off at any point to do some hiking. You just need to flag down any green bus when you have had enough hiking. The driver’s will not let you off near any wildlife. They must drop you off past the wildlife.
Day Two in Denali
These are images taken on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, during day two shuttle ride into Denali National Park! Got to see snow shoe rabbits, bull moose, dall sheep, caribou, a sow grizzly bear and her two playful cubs, and a lone wolf.
More of Day One in Denali
Here are some of the other images I captured on July 25th, Day One of three shuttle visits in Denali National Park! Saw caribou, dall sheep, bears, and moose.
Day One Taking the Shuttle into Denali Park
On Monday, July 25th, I took the shuttle bus for the first of three days to do so in Denali National Park! It was overcast with light drizzle when I awoke. A rainbow appeared at the boarding location. As we traveled into the park I noticed blue, clear skies were ahead of us. I never would have imagined that I would be a part of the 30% Club that gets to enjoy seeing the 20,,000 foot mountain named “Denali!” 70% of the people who visit the park never get to see the entire mountain because of cloud cover. Now I have a T-shirt announcing my membership! Yeah!
Denali National Park, Alaska
I arrived in Denali National Park on Sunday, July 24th. I drove the first fifteen miles of the park that personal vehicles are allowed to access. Fortunately, I did get a picture of a moose and a caribou! On Monday, I will take the shuttle bus 66 miles into the park to Eielson Visitor Center in front of Denali Mountain Range.
Smith's Uncommon Adventures 